Syngas purification process

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a process for purifying a syngas of the CO/H 2  or N 2 /H 2  type, which consists in removing CO 2  and possibly other gaseous impurities (water, etc.) before the gas undergoes a cryogenic process. These impurities are adsorbed by the gas stream to be purified passing over an NaLSX-type zeolite and then desorbed during a regeneration step which may be performed by raising the temperature (TSA) and/or reducing the pressure (PSA or VSA).

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a process for purifying syngas of the H₂/CO or H₂/N₂ type, which consists in removing CO₂ and possibly other gaseous impurities (water, methane, ethane, NOx, etc.) by adsorption over at least one bed of adsorbent(s) comprising at least one adsorbent based on an NaLSX-type zeolite.

[0002] The impurities are adsorbed by passing the gas stream to be purified over the bed(s) of adsorbent(s) comprising at least one adsorbent based on an NaLSX-type zeolite, and then they are desorbed during a regeneration step which may be performed by raising the temperature (TSA) and/or by reducing the pressure (PSA or VSA).

[0003] Advantageously, this process may, be carried out before the syngas thus purified undergoes a cryogenic process to separate the hydrogen from the CO and the nitrogen.

PRIOR ART

[0004] The generic name syngas is used for gases predominantly consisting of hydrogen and CO (approximately 25% by volume of CO) which are used as reaction products in certain basic chemical syntheses (methanol, acetic acid, phosgene, acrylics, etc.). These syngases are generally obtained by partial oxidation or steam or CO₂-reforming reactions on a hydrocarbon charge (ranging from natural gas up to heavy hydrocarbons), which gives a mixture consisting of H₂+CO+CO₂+H₂O+ other impurities, the respective proportions of H₂, CO, CO₂ and H₂O depending on the synthesis conditions.

[0005] The term “syngases” also means, within the context of the present invention, H₂/N₂ mixtures used especially for the synthesis of ammonia. These mixtures are generally produced by the partial oxidation of air or by the reforming of a hydrocarbon charge. This step may be supplemented with the reaction called “CO-shift”, namely CO+H₂O→CO₂+H₂, which converts the CO to CO₂ and thus delivers more hydrogen.

[0006] It is often necessary to purify syngases, for example when it is desired to separate either CO and H₂, or N₂ and H₂, this being done either cryogenically or by washing with liquefied methane: it is absolutely necessary to remove all the impurities that could crystallize and therefore block the exchangers of the cryogenic process.

[0007] If the amount of CO₂ contained in the stream of syngas to be purified is greater than several thousands of ppm, it is firstly washed with amines (MEA or MDEA type) to remove most of the CO₂. The gas is then sent to a column of adsorbent(s) to remove the residual traces of CO₂ (a few tens of ppm) not removed by the washing with amines and possibly the other impurity or impurities present in the syngas, for example water that is often present at the same time as CO₂ (after washing with the amines, the gas is saturated with water).

[0008] Processes for purifying syngases by adsorption conventionally use, in the case of CO₂ adsorption, adsorbents based on a zeolite of the 4A (NaA) type or 13X type (NaX with an Si/Al atomic ratio ≧1.25±0.05); however, these adsorbents share the drawback of giving relatively short adsorption/desorption cycle times, which requires the adsorbent material to be regenerated quite frequently and increases the operating cost of the industrial adsorption unit.

[0009] The use of zeolites of the LSX (low-silica X zeolite, i.e. with an Si/Al atomic ratio≈1), it not mattering whether these are exchanged with cations of Groups 1A, 2A, 3A, 3B and/or of lanthanides, etc., was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,808 and its corresponding EP 718 024 for decarbonizing gases less polar than CO₂, and especially air. According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,808 and EP 718 024, this process operates effectively only at adsorption pressures generally between 0.02 and 2 MPa.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The process according to the invention employs a bed of adsorbent(s) comprising an adsorbent based on a zeolite of NaLSX type, with Si/Al ranging from 0.9 to 1.1 and preferably ranging from 1 to 1.05, which proves to be particularly advantageous, compared with beds of adsorbents based on 4A or NaX zeolites, since it allows longer cycle times and therefore less frequent regenerations.

[0011] Within the context of the invention, the expression “adsorbent based on NaLSX” is understood to mean adsorbents whose zeolitic active material essentially consists of NaLSX zeolite but also mixtures of NaLSX zeolite and NaX zeolite, as described in detail in WO 01/24923 in the name of the Applicant.

[0012] The adsorbent based on NaLSX zeolite of the process according to the invention may be employed in powder form (in which form the NaLSX zeolite is in general synthesized) or, preferably, in the form of particles, beads or extrudates which have the advantage of making it easier to handle the adsorbents, for example during the steps of filling or unfilling the adsorption columns, and above all of limiting the head losses when the gas streams flow through them during their use in the process.

[0013] For agglomeration, the said actual LSX zeolite is firstly mixed with an agglomerating binder, which is in general itself in powder form, in the presence of water, and then the mixture is converted into an agglomerate, for example by extrusion or bead formation, and the zeolite/binder mixture formed is heated to a temperature of about 400-700° C. in order to convert the “green” agglomerate into a crush-resistant agglomerate. The binders used to agglomerate the zeolites include clays (particularly preferred by the Applicant), silicas, aluminas, metal oxides and mixtures thereof.

[0014] It is possible to prepare agglomerates containing 5 to 10% by weight of residual binder. One process for obtaining these agglomerates with a low binder content consists in converting the binder for the agglomerates described above into a zeolitic phase. To do this, the process starts with the agglomeration of an LSX zeolite powder with a binder able to be converted into a zeolite (for example kaolin or metakaolin), and then the conversion to a zeolite takes place by alkaline maceration, for example according to the process disclosed in EP 932 581. According to the invention, remarkably effective granules containing at least 90% zeolite can thus be readily obtained.

[0015] Furthermore, the zeolites may be agglomerated with materials such as silica/alumina, silica/magnesia, silica/zirconia, silica/thoria, silica/beryllium oxide and silica/titanium dioxide, and with ternary compositions such as silica/alumina/thoria, silica/alumina/zirconia and clays present as binders.

[0016] Relative proportions of the materials constituting the binder and the zeolites may vary widely. The agglomerating binder generally represents from 5 to 30 parts by weight per 100 parts of agglomerate. Advantageously, the agglomerates have a mean diameter of about 0.2 mm to about 5 mm.

[0017] The process for purifying a syngas, that is to say a syngas based on hydrogen and containing at least nitrogen and/or at least CO, is such that each bed of absorbent undergoes the succession of treatment cycles comprising the steps consisting in:

[0018] a) making a gas mixture based on hydrogen, carbon monoxide and/or nitrogen and containing as impurities at least carbon dioxide and one or more other impurities pass through an adsorption zone comprising:

[0019] at least one adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing carbon dioxide, which comprises at least one X zeolite of the faujasite type with an Si/Al ratio close to 1, preferably between 0.9 and 1.1 and advantageously ranging from 1 to 1.05, at least 70%, and preferably at least 90%, of the exchangeable sites of which are occupied by sodium ions, the rest of the cationic sites being occupied by K- or Ca-type cations or by other monovalent and/or polyvalent cations (magnesium, strontium, barium, lanthanides or rare earths, etc.),

[0020] one or more possible other adsorbents, capable of adsorbing the impurity or possibly impurities other than CO₂, such as water, hydrocarbons (either light or heavy) and nitrogen oxides N₂O, NO and NO₂ (usually called NOx), the adsorbents described above being either placed in successive layers and/or in the form of an intimate mixture;

[0021] b) desorbing the carbon dioxide and the other possible impurity or impurities adsorbed on the adsorbent or adsorbents described in a) by increasing the temperature and/or reducing the pressure, it being possible for this step to be supplemented with a purging phase consisting in recycling some of the purified gas; and

[0022] c) increasing the pressure in the said adsorption zone by introducing a flow of purified gas via the outlet of the adsorption zone and/or cooling the adsorption zone by flushing with purified cold gas.

[0023] Thus, each bed of adsorbent undergoes a treatment cycle comprising a first phase of producing a purified syngas and a second phase of regenerating the adsorbents, possibly combining decompression, heating, recompression and cooling.

[0024] The purification process according to the invention is also well suited for purifying a syngas that also contains other impurities, such as water, methane, ethane and other hydrocarbon compounds. The inventors have furthermore noted that the presence of the other compounds contained in the syngas, especially CO, makes the adsorption of carbon dioxide more difficult.

[0025] The process according to the invention is particularly suitable when the CO₂ concentrations of the gas mixture to be purified are not too high, that is to say:

[0026] in general, less than or equal to 1,000 ppm for adsorption pressures of around 3 MPa (which, expressed as CO₂ partial pressure, corresponds to values of less than or equal to 3 Pa);

[0027] preferably less than or equal to 100 ppm for adsorption pressures of around 3 MPa (which, expressed as CO₂ partial pressure, corresponds to values of less than or equal to 0.3 Pa).

[0028] When the syngas to be purified also contains water, it is possible to use the NaLSX-based adsorbent by itself, but it is also possible to add to the adsorption column containing the CO₂-selective NaLSX-based adsorbent, one or more adsorbents capable of selectively adsorbing water such as, for example, alumina, silica gel, an A-type zeolite or an X-type zeolite (with an Si/Al atomic ratio ≧1.25±0.05); this or these water-selective adsorbents may be used as an intimate mixture with the CO₂-selective NaLSX-based adsorbent as disclosed in EP 862 936 or EP 904 825, or preferably in the form of a separate layer placed in the adsorption column upstream of the CO₂-selective adsorbent, as disclosed in EP 862 938.

[0029] When the syngas to be purified also contains heavy hydrocarbons as impurities, such as butanes, pentanes, etc., it is possible to use the NaLSX-based adsorbent by itself, but it is preferred, in the adsorption column, to add to the CO₂selective NaLSX-based adsorbent one or more adsorbents capable of selectively adsorbing heavy hydrocarbons, such as for example aluminas, silica gels or active carbons, or zeolites; this or these adsorbents selective with respect to heavy hydrocarbons may be used as an intimate mixture with the CO₂-selective NaLSX-based adsorbent or are preferably in the form of a separate layer placed in the adsorption column upstream of the CO₂-selective adsorbent.

[0030] When the syngas to be purified also contains light hydrocarbons as impurities, such as ethane, ethylene, propylene, etc., and/or NOx, it is possible to use the NaLSX-based adsorbent by itself but it is preferred, in the adsorption column, to add to the CO₂-selective NaLSX-based adsorbent one or more adsorbents capable of selectively adsorbing light hydrocarbons and/or NOx, such as, for example, aluminas, silica gels or active carbons, or zeolites; this or these hydrocarbon-selective adsorbents may be used as an intimate mixture with the CO₂selective NaLSX-based adsorbent or preferably in the form of one or more separate layers placed in the adsorption column downstream of the CO₂-selective adsorbent.

[0031] When the syngas to be purified contains water and/or heavy hydrocarbons and NOx and/or light hydrocarbons as impurities, it is possible to use the NaLSX-based adsorbent by itself but it is preferred, in the adsorption column, to add to the CO₂-selective NaLSX-based adsorbent the adsorbent(s) selective for water and/or heavy hydrocarbons either in the form of an intimate mixture as described for example in EP 1 101 521 or preferably by placing, in the form of a separate layer:

[0032] upstream of the CO₂-selective adsorbent, one or more adsorbents capable of selectively adsorbing water and/or heavy hydrocarbons;

[0033] and downstream of the CO₂-selective adsorbent, one or more adsorbents capable of selectively adsorbing light hydrocarbons and/or NOx.

[0034] Moreover, the process according to the invention may be combined with any other process for removing other impurities not mentioned above and which could also be present in the syngas: for example, if traces of mercury are contained in the syngas (coming from the hydrocarbon charge), these could be removed over a bed of silver-exchange zeolite placed in the adsorption zone of the present invention and may be desorbed during thermal regeneration. This is because it is often necessary to trap mercury vapours before the gas is introduced into a cryogenic unit so as to avoid any corrosion of the exchangers. These traces of mercury may also be removed, upstream or downstream of the unit described in this invention, over active carbons impregnated with iodine or with sulphur.

[0035] The purity of the syngas obtained as a result of the purification process according to the invention is very high: it is possible to obtain residual concentrations of CO₂ impurities of less than 0.1 vpm and water impurities of less than 0.1 vpm.

[0036] As a general rule, within the context of the process of the invention, the adsorption zone is maintained at a pressure of between 0.5 and 7 MPa while the gas mixture to be purified is being brought into contact with the adsorbent or adsorbents described above. However, a higher pressure would not impair the purification operation. However, for the sake of saving energy and because of the high cost of pressure-resistant installations, pressures of over 7 MPa will in general be avoided. Pressures below 0.5 MPa are not normally used for industrial syngas production for practical reasons; this is because the processes carried out upstream of the process according to the invention, which correspond to reactions for making syngas, take place at pressures generally of about 2-3 MPa. Preferably, the pressure within the adsorption zone will be maintained at a value of less than or equal to 5 MPa and advantageously less than or equal to 3 MPa. Likewise, the adsorption zone is preferably maintained at greater than or equal to 0.5 MPa and advantageously greater than or equal to 2 MPa.

[0037] The temperature of the gas stream entering the adsorption zone is not decisive and is generally kept constant during the adsorption phase. Ordinarily, this temperature is between 0 and 80° C., preferably between 20 and 50° C. The desorption temperature may be between 100 and 300° C., preferably between 150 and 250° C.

[0038] The present invention applies to any type of PSA, VSA and/or TSA process for syngas purification and thus any change of parameters, such as pressure level, rate of purge, etc., aiming to improve the performance of the process, may advantageously be combined with the abovementioned essential features of the process according to the invention.

[0039] The present invention can be applied either during the design of a new installation for syngas purification, thereby making it possible, compared with an industrial plant of the prior art operating with the same productivity, to reduce the size of the column (and hence reduce the investment cost) or, in the case of replacing the adsorbents of the columns of an existing industrial installation with the adsorbents of the present invention, an appreciable increase in productivity (or a reduction in the number of regenerations needed).

EXAMPLES

[0040] In all the examples, a gas stream of known composition was made to pass through a column filled with adsorbent(s) until CO₂ breakthrough, and then a desorption operation was carried out, this being repeated for several cycles.

[0041] The adsorbent column used had the following dimensions:

[0042] diameter: 2.7 cm; height: 190 cm.

[0043] A syngas having the following composition was used:

[0044] H₂=80 vol % (q.s.p.);

[0045] CO or N₂: 20 vol %;

[0046] CO₂: 76 vpm;

[0047] H₂O=2400 vpm.

[0048] CO₂ and H₂O analysers were placed at the outlet of the column so as to monitor the change in their concentration over the cycles, and especially to detect the breakthrough of CO₂, which normally occurs before that of water.

[0049] The following steps were used:

[0050] 1. Adsorption stage:

[0051] P=2.3 MPa;

[0052] T=38° C.;

[0053] total flow rate=6.7 Sm3/h.

[0054] The first adsorption was carried out for an arbitrarily chosen time (2 to 5 h) without reaching CO₂ breakthrough, so as to limit the advance of the water front into the column. Next, for the following cycles, the adsorption was continued until CO₂ breakthrough (up to 7 vpm), followed by automatic switching to desorption mode;

[0055] 2. Desorption step (carried out countercurrently):

[0056] P=2.3 MPa;

[0057] under pure hydrogen;

[0058] H₂ flow rate=1.6 Sm³/h/.

[0059] The temperature was gradually raised to 190° C. over 2 hours, the temperature was then maintained at 190° C. for 2 hours and then the column was cooled by a countercurrent of H₂ with the same flow rate (1.6 Sm³/h) for 2 hours;

[0060] 3. The latter step was supplemented with external cooling without hydrogen flushing in order to reach T˜45° C. before resumption of the adsorption step.

[0061] Several cycles were repeated until a CO₂ breakthrough time stabilized.

[0062] Specimens tested were beads having a particle size of between 1.6 and 2.5 mm, consisting of 80% by weight of zeolite (active substance) and 20% of clay-based agglomerating binder.

Example 1 (Comparative)

[0063] The gas to be treated had the following composition:

[0064] H₂=80% by volume

[0065] N₂=20% by volume

[0066] CO₂=76 vpm

[0067] H₂O=2400 vpm.

[0068] The zeolite tested was NaX (degree of Na exchange≈100%; Si/Al=1.23.)

[0069] The CO₂ breakthrough time, which stabilized after several cycles, was 7.7 h.

Example 2 (Comparative)

[0070] The gas to be treated had the following composition:

[0071] H₂=80% by volume

[0072] CO=20% by volume

[0073] CO₂=76 vpm

[0074] H₂O=2400 vpm.

[0075] The zeolite tested was the same agglomerated NaX as that of Example 1.

[0076] The CO₂ breakthrough time which stabilized after several cycles was 4.6 h.

[0077] This example clearly illustrates the influence of the gas type on the performance of the zeolite; in this case, the presence of CO disturbs the CO₂ capacity of the zeolite much more than nitrogen.

Example 3 (Comparative)

[0078] The gas to be treated had the same composition as in Example 2.

[0079] The zeolite tested was a 4A zeolite (degree of Na exchange≈100%).

[0080] The CO₂ breakthrough time which stabilized after several cycles was 2.7 h.

Example 4 (According to the Invention)

[0081] The gas to be treated had the same composition as in Example 2.

[0082] The zeolite tested was an NaLSX (degree of Na exchange was 95.3%; Si/Al=1.0).

[0083] The CO₂ breakthrough time which stabilized after several cycles was 5.9 h.

Example 5 (Comparative)

[0084] Unlike Example 2, the gas to be treated was no longer wet. It had the following composition:

[0085] H₂=80% by volume

[0086] CO=20% by volume

[0087] CO₂=76 vpm.

[0088] The zeolite tested was the same agglomerated NaX zeolite as that of Example 1.

[0089] The CO₂ breakthrough time which stabilized after several cycles was 7.9 h.

Example 6 (Comparative)

[0090] The gas to be treated had the same composition as that in Example 5.

[0091] The zeolite tested was the same agglomerated 4A zeolite as that of Example 3.

[0092] The CO₂ breakthrough time which stabilized after several cycles was 3.6 h.

Example 7 (According to the Invention)

[0093] The gas to be treated had the same composition as that of Example 5.

[0094] The zeolite tested was the same agglomerated NaLSX zeolite as that of Example 4.

[0095] The CO₂ breakthrough time which stabilized after several cycles was 10.8 h.

[0096] It may be seen, from these last six examples, that the NaLSX zeolite gave much longer cycle times than the 4A and NaX zeolites, these being used conventionally in this kind of process, on a wet gas (Examples 2 to 4) or on a dry gas (Examples 5 to 7); the latter illustration corresponds to a process in which the zeolite is used as second layer after a first layer of adsorbent used for removing water.

[0097] For an existing installation, an NaLSX-zeolite would therefore allow less frequent regenerations, hence a substantial energy saving. For the design of a new installation, it ought to allow for reduced column dimensions and fewer amounts of adsorbents.

[0098] The preceding examples can be repeated with similar success by substituting the generically or specifically described reactants and/or operating conditions of this invention for those used in the preceding examples.

[0099] The entire disclosures of all applications, patents and publications, cited herein and of corresponding French application No. 0114710, filed Nov. 14, 2001 is incorporated by reference herein.

[0100] From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention and, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions. 

1. Process for purifying syngas based on hydrogen and carbon monoxide and/or nitrogen, contaminated with carbon dioxide and one or more possible other impurities, comprising one or more cycles comprising the following successive steps: a) making the gas mixture to be purified pass through an adsorption zone comprising: an adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing carbon dioxide, which comprises at least one X zeolite of the faujasite type with an Si/Al of 1, preferably ranging from 0.9 to 1.1 and advantageously ranging from 1 to 1.05, at least 70%, and preferably at least 90%, of the exchangeable sites of which are occupied by sodium ions, the rest of the cationic sites being occupied by K- or Ca-type cations or by other monovalent and/or polyvalent cations (magnesium, strontium, barium, lanthanides or rare earths, etc.), one or more adsorbents, capable of selectively adsorbing each of the impurities, such as water, hydrocarbons and/or NOx, the adsorbents being either intimately mixed or in the form of separate beds in successive layers; b) desorbing the carbon dioxide and the other impurity or impurities adsorbed on the adsorbent or adsorbents described in a) by increasing the temperature and/or reducing the pressure, it being possible for this step to be supplemented with a purging phase consisting in recycling some of the purified gas; and a) c) increasing the pressure in the said adsorption zone by introducing a flow of purified gas via the outlet of the adsorption zone and/or cooling the adsorption zone by flushing with purified cold gas.
 2. Process according to claim 1 for purifying a syngas containing water and/or heavy hydrocarbons as impurities in addition to CO₂, characterized in that the adsorbent or adsorbents capable of adsorbing water and/or the heavy hydrocarbons, preferably chosen from among alumina, silica gel or A-type or X-type zeolites, are either intimately mixed with the adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing CO₂ or preferably are in the form of separate beds, the bed or beds of adsorbent(s) capable of selectively adsorbing water and/or the heavy hydrocarbons being placed upstream of the bed of adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing CO₂
 3. Process according to claim 1 or 2 for purifying a syngas containing one or more light hydrocarbons and/or NOx as impurities in addition to CO₂ and possibly in addition to water and/or heavy hydrocarbons, characterized in that the adsorbent or adsorbents capable of adsorbing the light hydrocarbons and/or the NOx, preferably chosen from alumina, silica gel or A-type or X-type zeolites, are either intimately mixed with the adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing the CO₂ and possibly the adsorbent or adsorbents capable of adsorbing the water and/or heavy hydrocarbons, or preferably in the form of separate beds, the bed or beds of adsorbent(s) capable of selectively adsorbing the light hydrocarbons and/or the NOx being placed downstream of the bed of adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing the CO₂
 4. Process according to any one of claims 1 to 3 for purifying a syngas containing mercury as impurity in addition to CO₂ and possibly in addition to water and/or heavy hydrocarbons, light hydrocarbons and/or NOx, characterized in that the adsorption zone comprises a bed based on a silver-exchange zeolite.
 5. Process according to any one of claims 1 to 3 for purifying a syngas containing mercury as impurity in addition to CO₂ and possibly in addition to water and/or heavy hydrocarbons, light hydrocarbons and/or NOx, characterized in that it comprises an additional step consisting in making a gas stream from which mercury has to be stripped pass, upstream or downstream of the process described in any one of claims 1 to 4, over active carbons impregnated with iodine or with sulphur.
 6. Syngas purification process according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the NaLSX-type zeolite is present in agglomerated form with an agglomerating binder, the latter preferably being converted into a zeolite, which may represent from 5 to 30 parts by weight of the total weight of the agglomerate, the said agglomerates preferably having a mean diameter ranging from about 0.2 to about 5 mm.
 7. Syngas purification process according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the pressure of the gas mixture to be purified during the adsorption steps a) is greater than or equal to 0.5 MPa, preferably greater than or equal to 2 MPa, and is less than or equal to 7 MPa, advantageously less than or equal to 5 MPa and more advantageously less than or equal to 3 MPa.
 8. Syngas purification process according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the temperature of the gas stream entering the adsorption zone is between 0 and 80° C., preferably between 20 and 50° C., and in that the desorption temperature is between 100 and 300° C., preferably between 150 and 250° C.
 9. Syngas purification process according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the CO₂ concentration of the gas mixture to be purified is less than or equal to 1,000 ppm, preferably less than or equal to 100 ppm, for adsorption pressures of around 3 MPa, and in that the CO₂ partial pressure is less than or equal to 3 Pa and preferably less than or equal to 0.3 Pa.
 10. Syngas purification process according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it is of the PSA, VSA and/or TSA type. 